A Cultural Phenomenon Unveiled: Drink.More.Water

A Cultural Phenomenon Unveiled: The Dynamic World of Drink.More.Water in the Heart of New York City, United States

Step into the extraordinary world of Drink.More.Water, a visionary collective established in 2018 by the creative genius Young Warhol, which has blossomed into a multifaceted urban art platform, fashion label, event production powerhouse, and esteemed publisher deeply entrenched in the vivacious realm of New York City.

At its core, Drink.More.Water is not merely a fashion brand; it’s a cultural movement embodying the spirit of artistic expression and innovation. With roots firmly planted in the bustling landscapes of NYC and London, the brand has carved a niche for itself in the discerning selection of avant-garde boutiques such as the iconic Retail Pharmacy, dynamic bleaq, revered Wolf & Badger, and the esteemed Bowery Showroom. Expanding its horizons to European fashion capitals like Berlin’s Studio183 and Verona’s Moodart Gallery, Drink.More.Water continues to push the boundaries of creative exploration with its bold and distinctive aesthetic.

Distinguished by its unwavering commitment to the convergence of urban culture and contemporary design, Drink.More.Water unveils five meticulously crafted collections annually. Each collection is a manifestation of the brand’s ethos, seamlessly blending street-style sensibilities with avant-garde flair to create a visual narrative that resonates with a diverse and discerning audience seeking authentic self-expression through fashion.

Photography by Samantha Sutcliffe

Beyond the realm of wearable art, Drink.More.Water serves as a vibrant catalyst for the fusion of art and music, orchestrating immersive events that captivate audiences and foster artistic collaboration. Celebrated for its enthralling runway spectacles and captivating music showcases, including a bespoke festival during Rockaway Art Week, the brand transcends conventional boundaries to engage with the community and provide a platform for emerging talents to shine.

Embracing a culture of inclusivity and creativity, Drink.More.Water curates the monthly concert and interview series, “The Artist Series,” to spotlight the talents of local musicians and creatives, nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of artistic expression and collaboration. Moreover, the brand’s pulsating live music showcases and infectious DJ parties serve as the heartbeat of NYC’s artistic community, affirming Drink.More.Water’s seminal role as a dynamic cultural hub and driving force behind the city’s thriving art scene.

Photography by Caroline Safran + The Cobra Snake

In a landscape where artistry meets sartorial finesse, Drink.More.Water emerges as a beacon of creativity, weaving a rich tapestry of culture and innovation that transcends borders, defies conventions, and celebrates the kaleidoscope of human expression – a testament to the enduring power of true artistic innovation and collaborative spirit.

KREEP. TALKS WITH YOUNG WARHOL: FOUNDER OF DRINK.MORE.WATER

Can you share insights into how your background in art history and fashion PR influenced your decision to venture into designing and founding Drink.More.Water as a high-street art platform and clothing brand?

I went to school for art history and I grew up being dragged to all sorts of museums by my parents which I hated at the time but looking back I of course value so much because it led to a real love and appreciation of art. I always loved fashion and dreamt of making my own clothes but I had never taken any design classes and the idea of ever making my own clothes, even though it was something I dreamt of doing, just seemed so far out of reach I had no idea how to get started. So I got internships and later a job on the business side of fashion thinking I would be happy doing that with my life and when I graduated, started work full time and realize I couldn’t stand to be in an office every day for the rest of my life I quit and decided to give my passion project a try.

I do really value every experience I had in the industry as it showed me so many different sides that I think a designer typically isn’t exposed to like how a PR department operates, what running a trade show is like, how to talk to customers, etc.

How did your lack of formal training in design impact your creative process when launching the screen-printed collection for Drink.More.Water? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

I just had no idea where to start. I didn’t really know what the process of making clothes was, and I was never particularly good at making my own sketches so it was very overwhelming at first. But I remember reading about how a lot of designers without formal training got their start screenprinting t shirts, so I bought a screen and some ink and tought myself via Youtube and internet articles. Eventually I got the hang of it and came up with the Drink.More.Water brand and logo and the concept for the first season and went from there. The first season was very rudimentary, just me screenprinting on various blanks but the ideas were there and even though looking back I’m not necessarily proud of the early work I did I can see how it laid the foundation for me to improve with each collection.

I then decided to take some design classes at Parsons just to get a basic technical knowledge in things like sewing, pattern making, draping, etc. Eventually, especially after months of quarantine over Covid practicing nonstop with my sewing machine, I got technically proficient enough where I was confident in my ability to bring my designs to life. Obviously a main way that I tried overcoming my lack of formal training was just by jumping into it and starting the brand before I really knew what I was doing, which who’s to say whether that was the right move or not but it’s the path I chose.

In what ways do you see Drink.More.Water evolving beyond fashion into event production, magazine publication, and more? How do these different facets complement each other under the brand’s umbrella?

I’ve always seen DMW as my platform to do basically anything I want creatively and not be pinned down to any one medium. I remember when I got into fashion originally back in high school/college I really admired No Vacancy Inn which was Tremaine Emory’s first project before Denim Tears. I remember reading interviews where they’d describe how

No Vacancy was a clothing brand sometimes and sometimes a party series and whatever they wanted it to be at any given moment which really inspired me. So with Drink.More.Water, I really see the clothing as the anchor that allows me to do all this other stuff because I see it all existing in the same creative universe.

Collaborating with rising artists and musicians seems to be a significant aspect of Drink.More.Water’s journey. How do you approach these collaborations, and what do you believe sets your brand apart in terms of working with creatives in the indie scene?

It’s definitely something that sets us apart, I don’t see any brand that’s as committed to we are at working with so many different artists. The approach varies but it’s always based on mutual good vibes, if the energy is right I’m down to work with anyone regardless of genre or whatever the project entails, if it’s not then I’ll pass. Some collabs come from me reaching out to the artist, usually through a mutual friend if there is one and usually it’s because I either saw the artist play or got told about them by a friend in the scene. Luckily for us as our reputation has grown we’ve now started to get approached by artists themselves who want us to style them or play in one of our shows which is super cool, either cause they saw someone wear our pieces or they just heard our reputation. I have a friend Christian (aka the musician Precious Human) who I caught up with recently and he said what stuck out to him about our brand when he first met us was that we’d style anyone for anything regardless of the hype or clout associated with it and that we’d show up to support regardless. So I think that’s what sets us apart people seeing that we’re gonna support them whether they’re playing for 5 people or 500.

The comparison drawn between Drink.More.Water and Christian Joy’s work with Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs is quite striking. How do you feel about being seen as a stylist for the indie scene, and what do you think sets your styling approach apart?

I have to give all credit to Sadie Bell who was the first person to make that comparison back in the Altpress feature that she did on the brand. It’s funny how your reputation develops because it certainly wasn’t something I set out to do. Like I didn’t start the brand with the goal of being a downtown scene stylist. I just thought it would be good press to work with some cool artists so a couple years ago I started reaching out to people I had heard of via word of mouth and ended up falling into this wonderful creative ecosystem of fellow creatives. Now that it’s become our reputation it’s something I’m immensely proud of and want to continue it being paramount to the brand. Drink.More.Water is and will be a lot of things but it will always be a hub for supporting fellow creatives.

With the cultural rebirth in downtown Manhattan, how do you navigate staying true to Drink.More.Water’s roots and original vision while adapting to the evolving fashion and art landscape in New York City?

It’s funny because I feel like I’m way more in the music scene than the fashion scene of New York, which is a weird place to be considering I’m not a musician and I run a clothing brand. I’ve always had the attitude of I don’t really care what anyone else is doing I just want to put out my work into the world and hope it resonates with people. As DMW has gotten bigger and I’ve made attempts to professionalize it, I have obviously had to pay more attention to the industry around us in an attempt to gauge what we do well and what we can improve on, but I think a certain level of just saying fuck it and staying true to who you are instead of chasing trends is necessary for any creative endeavor.

As you gear up for exciting events like New York Fashion Week and the launch of an artist interview series, what can we expect from Drink.More.Water in terms of new collections, collaborations, and innovative projects on the horizon?

Bigger and better every season. More stockists, more live shows, more elaborate shoots and shows, etc. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of this journey so far, we’re just getting started.